As a massive fan of Mike Oldfield's instrumental work but not a fan of his previous songs... (too cheesy for me, sorry!) ... I bought this prepared to be underwhelmed. But I am very pleasantly surprised and chuffed for the man! It's not prog - don't expect chordal surprises, or fun with time signatures - but this is well performed, somewhat predictable rock, that can't help but make you smile. Lyrically I was worried after the rather too sweet "Sailing" opens the album - "let's go Sah aye eee ling" repeat etc... but there's much more in some of these songs. These are simply better songs than he's written before. If you liked his earlier songs, you'll love this. If like me you weren't a fan of his earlier songs, there's still something here for you. Recommended! (PS. Two great voices on this album - the guitar, and Luke Spiller. Both give their all on every track.)

As a fan when I put a new Jarre CD into the drive I sit back and wait to be amazed by the new Equinoxe, or Zoolook. Needless to say - last time the new CD met that challenge was Industrial Revolution - nothing since pressed the buttons for me.

I like this album. This isn't Euro pop, and it's not techno. It's somewhere between... it's, well, cheesy Jarre. Lets be honest - he's always had the cheese factor (MagFields2, Rendezvous4 etc..) The cheesy offerings here are no more cheese laden than earlier melody led pieces. There's none of the progression of Equinoxe 1 through to 4.. linking neatly. None of the depth of Rendezvous2. That's gone now. These are just nice tunes with catchy melodies and bounce along beats. It's uplifting but shallow musically.

Only down side for me is the synth ad lib lead on Rodeo... I don't know why he does this. He can't improv to save his life, and should avoid it like the plague! Take that track away and IMHO this is his best offering for a long long time.

If you find yourself in the same place as me re: his earlier work, then you'll play this more than Cousteau (too cheese laden), more than Chronologie (still well layered with the cheesy stuff), probably on a par with Metamorphosis or Oxy 7-13.

I bought this with a due sense of dread. Re-orchestrating synth instrumentals for an orchestra and choir seems a bit of a pointless exercise. However, I saw the track listing and felt that the pieces involved might suit the treatment, and perhaps they could have.

Re-arranging and re-orchestrating is one thing - but messing with the melody lines? I don't think so.

Surprisingly, the pieces that you'd have expected to suit an orchestra - such as Rendezvous2, are shockingly bad. There's six notes that make up the Lazer Harp line in that piece, and they get one wrong!

All in all a fine example of the term "just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should." If you've got the originals don't waste your money on this, you'll play it once and instantly forget it. If you haven't got the originals spend on those instead! If you're a collector and the Acropolis piece is tempting you - try and resist as it is really shockingly dull.

I saw this film 2 weeks ago at a friends house and loved every minute of it. It is not a comedy. It is not ABOUT the holocaust. It is about a life. It is about a life that remains entirely selfless and giving throughout good and bad times. A life that remains beautiful regardless of its surroundings. It's not a challenging film. It's not an historical film. It's not trying to be funny about its subject matter. It's isn't giving a moralistic lesson. It's simply telling a story - do with that story what you will.The bright, cheerful, colourful first half of the film is wonderully juxtaposed by the drab second half. The wide open spaces and freedoms of the first half are off set with the crowded confined spaces of the second. These film makers tools create a viewer empathy and involvement not often acheived in film. From the story and script through to the lighting, filming and score, I think this film is glorious.

Personally - I've come to this site to buy it as I consider it a must for my collection.

At times Michael Moore is an impressive, thought provoking individual. At other times, he is the stroppy student hell bent at provoking institutions simply because they're there.His recent shows at the Roundhouse bravely looked at BIG issues such as Palestine/Israel, AntiSemitism, Dubya Bush looking for the man who beat up his dad etc etc. He emphasises the importance of the individual thinking for himself. How disappointing then that he went on to have the audience hand in their supermarket "loyalty" cards as "one up big business"! This was the big finale. Bin Laden/Bush/Blair/Hussein/Nectar..... And like sheep the audience handed them over. So much for thinking for themselves!This book is an interesting read, but a lot of it seems self gratifying and, as with his show, the issues he covers are inconsistant. never the less, I couldn't put it down - had to see where he went with it next!